Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

The deep dive into the 'Exorcist' franchise continues, with underloved and underseen sequel 'Exorcist II: The Heretic' getting its time to shine! Is it a misbegotten failure to replicate the grim intensity of the original, or is it actually a pretty typical 70s sci-fi thriller with the era's usual emphasis on ESP, paranormal powers, and the next step in human evolution? Time for you to take a listen and find out!

Naturally, this is a podcast that embraces all the various incarnations and aspects of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. So rather than get mired in 80s nostalgia forever, Half Price Horror is taking a look at the 2010s incarnation of the Movie Macabre and a 1971 movie Elvira covered for it, the infamous exploitation cheapie 'I Eat Your Skin'!

Time to cross off one of the big ones, as Half Price Horror finally tackles a film so big it started its own subgenre--1973's 'The Exorcist'! Let's dig into the awful on-set behavior of its director, the fears of feminism and women's bodies, and all the complex symbolism that resonated with the viewing public when this horror hit was released. It's a perfect time of year for it, as Halloween month continues!

Halloween season continues with a look at the big bug movie to begin all big bug movies, 1954's 'Them!' It's got giant ants, it's got James Arness, it's got Leonard Nimoy, it's got the guy who played Santa Clause in 'Miracle on 34th Street'! It's an influence on 'Aliens', it's the start of a whole atomic horror subgenre, so have a listen and enjoy this trip into the roots of horror. And all the ants crawling around down there.

I'm not saying Godzilla was a poser, but the Rhedosaurus was rampaging in cities a whole year before it became "cool". So come along and check out the adventures, of the OG, the stop-motion, the coolest prehistoric kaiju this side of Baffin Bay, as we kick off Halloween season right with a look at Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen and the movie that created a genre!

And so, it's time to conclude our look at the 'Omen' franchise with 'The First Omen'! (Yes, I know, it sounds like it's... look, don't overthink the title, okay? It's just a prequel.) And if you like 70s conspiracy thrillers, Ralph Ineson, Bill Nighy, and one of the most fearless performances since Isabelle Adjani in 'Possession', you're going to love hearing about this one!

It's time to end the Cornetto trilogy with a look at what happens when the fun's over, the drinking doesn't make you happy anymore, and you look around and ask yourself, "How did I wind up here?" Plus, there are aliens and androids and an apocalypse, but really it's about the day you realize you just can't keep partying like this anymore. And what you do when you don't know how to stop.

Second verse, same as the first... stop me if you've heard this one, folks. An American diplomat loses his son at birth, and is persuaded to do an off-the-books adoption of a mystery child to replace him. The kid's nanny dies, and her replacement is sinister and creepy, and a priest shows up warning him his child is the Antichrist. And if all that sounds familiar to you, that's because it's time to cover the 2006 remake of 'The Omen'!

One of the things people seemed to want most after seeing both 'A Quiet Place' and 'A Quiet Place Part II' was a look at what it was like in the big, noisy cities when the aliens came down. And since this has now officially become a Big Franchise(tm), John Krasinski tasked indie director Michael Sarnoski with giving the people what they wanted in the latest installment of the series. Did it work? Well, let's dive in and find out!

You ever have one of those days where you just can't get rid of an Antichrist? Damien's six feet under, Christ came back and apparently left again a few seconds later, and still we've got the spawn of Satan running around and making little kids wet themselves in terror. (No seriously. That really happens in this movie.) Thankfully, HPH is here to get to the bottom of it all, and you're invited to join in!